The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-01-27
RAILWAY COMMISSION BILL.
The following is Senator Upshaw's rail
yORd commission hill.

The following is Senator Upshaw's rail
road commission bill:
Section J.. BE 1t enacted by the Legislature of
She state Of Texas: That there shall be three
commissioners appointed by the governor, with
the adyice nd consent of the senate to carry out
the provisions OF this act, of whom one shall be OF
experience in the law and one of experience in
railway business Said commissioners shall hold
their Office for the term of two years. The salary
of each commissioner shall be S25 % per annum,
10 be paid from the treasury of the state Any
commissioner may be suspended from office
BY order OF the governor, who shall report the
fact of euCh suspension, and the reasons there
for, 70 the next legislature and if majority of
each branch o the legislature declare hat said
commissioner shall be removed from office, his
term Of Office shall expire. The governor shall
have the power to fill vacancies in the office of COM
missioner. The commissioners first appointed
under tins provisions of this act shall hold their
Office until the next meeting of the legislature.
Said commissioners shall take the oath OF Office
prescribed by the constitution of the state of Texas
for other officers, and shall not jointly severay
OF in any way be he holders of any railroad stock
or bonds, or be the agent or employe of any rail
road company, or have any interest in any way in
any railroad, and shall 80 continue during the term
of office. and In any case any commissioner be-
colGes disqualified in any way, he shall at once re-
move the decentralization or resign, and on failure
80 10 do he must be suspended from Office by the
governor, and dealt with as hereinafter provided
Ia any case OF usDenson the governor may fl the
vacancy until the suspended commissioner is re-
stored or removed.
section 2 Tlst said commissioners shall be
furnished with an Office, necessary furniture and
stationery, ara may employ secretary or clerk at
salary OF twelve hundred dollars per annum at
the expense Of the state. The Office of said com
missiOners shall be kept In the city OF Austin, aud
all Gums Of money authorized to be paid by this
act out of the state treasury shall be paid only on
she order Of the governor; provided that the total
sum TO be expended by said commissioners for of
fee rent, furniture and stationery shall in no case
exceed the sum OF five hundred dollars, or so much
thereof as may be necessary, per annum.
Section That from and after the passage of
this oct, if any railroad corporation organized or
doing business in this state, under any act of in
corporation or general law of this ct tie, now in
force or which may hereaf er be enacted, or
any railroad corpo alton organized, or which
NAV hereafter lie organized under the laws of
any ether etate aud doing business in this state
shall charge, collect, demand, or receive more
than fair and reasonable rate of toll or compen-
sation for the transportation of passengers or
freight Of any description. or for the use and
transportation Of any railroad car upon its track,
OF any OF It's branches thereof, or upon any rail-
rold within this state which it has the right
license or PERM sion to use, operate or control the
same, shall be deemed guilty of eXtOrtion, and
upon conviction hereof shall be dealt with as
hereinafter provided.
Section That if any railroad corporation as
aforesaid shall make any unjust discrimination in
its rates CHARGES of toll, or compensation for the
transportation Of passengers or freights of any
description. OF for the use and transportation of
any railroad upon its said road, or upon any of
the branches thereof, or upon any railroad con-
nected Herewith, which it has the right,
license or permission to operate, con-
troll or use within this state; the same
shal be deemed guilty of having violated the pro-
visions q d act, and upon conviction thereof,
shall be dealt with as hereinafter provided
Section > That the commissioners appointed as
hertiubefore provided shall, as provided in the
next section % this act, make reasonable and just
rates Of freight and passenger tariffs TO be observed